'When you hear hoofbeats, think of horses not zebras' - the old adage is well-known to GPs but what should you do when faced with a zebra, not a horse? Consultant cardiologist Professor Robert Tulloh and GP Dr Louise Tulloh kick off our new series with their advice on how to catch Kawasaki disease in general practice.

Sicknote? How about some CBT?

GPs have scorned proposals for an 'NHS pledge' listing a new set of values the health service should aspire to.

The pledge, trailed by NHS chief executive Sir Nigel Crisp earlier this month, states that the health service's purpose is 'helping you to keep well, making you better and helping you get the most out of life'.

But GPs said the pledge was 'just platitudes' and a meaningless waste of money.

Such was the level of criticism, the NHS was forced to remove a forum on the pledge website www.ourpledge.nhs.uk which asked for comment about the values statement.